


Do What the Humans Do

by yeet_me_away



Series: Kamen Rider Whump + Sic Fic + Hurt/Comfort Fics [1]
Category: Kamen Rider - All Media Types, Kamen Rider OOO
Genre: Angst, Attempted Murder, Blood and Injury, Fever, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Murder, It's not all bad, M/M, Major Character Injury, Stabbing, There will be some fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:55:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25009573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeet_me_away/pseuds/yeet_me_away
Summary: Kazari thinks it's time to switch up his methods in order to finally defeat OOOs.Shame Ankh had to get in the way, though. Literally.
Relationships: Ankh/Hino Eiji
Series: Kamen Rider Whump + Sic Fic + Hurt/Comfort Fics [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1852276
Comments: 24
Kudos: 29





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

> Apparently I'm only capable of making my favourite characters suffer, who knew?
> 
> Warnings for an implied murder at the beginning!
> 
> Enjoy~

Kazari had grown tired of the human, Eiji. That pest of a mortal, constantly getting in his way and foiling his plans. He was done. It was time for a new plan. The blond stalked his hideout, striding back and forth in the dark space before deciding to walk through the city to clear his head, to come up with a new plan. Eiji must be stopped.

He walked aimlessly through back alleys, placing his headphones over his ears and shuffling to the music slightly as he walked. Even if the sound was slightly distorted, he knew no better, and from what he could make out of it, he liked it.

Corner after corner he turned, as the cityscape turned darker and an orange glow overtook the sky from the sunset, but still he walked without direction until he could see his own breath in the darkness.

Over the blare of his headphones, Kazari heard a high-pitched scream in the semi-distance. Curiously, he turned the corner, pulling the headphones to go onto his neck, hoping to find someone he could possibly make a Yummy out of in their distress, only to be faced with a young man, no older than 25 years old, brandishing a knife at a frightened woman.

“Give me your purse!” The man yelled, pointing the knife closer to her.

The woman cowered, handing her bag over, arms shaking, legs quivering and trying not to drop out from under her.

It was in this moment, watching from the mouth of the alleyway that Kazari grinned. His methods thus far had failed him, maybe it was time to do what the humans do, Eiji was one of them after all.

Fondling with the bag in his hand, Kazari watched the man brandish the knife again, intent clear in his body language, he charged forward towards the woman.

Kazari left the alley. An even louder scream was heard.

~*~

It was a new day, and Cous Coussier was bustling with people, as usual, and Chiyoko was whizzing her way through customers with a grin plastered on her face and a joyous laugh ringing from her mouth.

“Oi, Ankh.” Eiji said exasperatedly, dressed in a traditional lederhosen, “Are you not going to help at all?”

Ankh tutted from his stool, taking a bite from his ice lolly.

“Ankh-chan is taking a well-earned break right now, aren’t you honey?” Chiyoko called from the other end of the restaurant, running over to the blond and ruffling his hair fondly. Ankh pushed her hand away with an irritated noise and straightened out his hair with his fingers.

Hina furrowed her eyebrows. “Well-earned break?”

Chiyoko nodded, getting the next batch of coffee from the machine. “He helped me fix the aerial on the roof this morning, didn’t you dear?”

Ankh flushed and took another bite out of his ice lolly, turning in the stool to face away from everyone.

“That’s very good of you, Ankh!” Eiji beamed.

“I know right!” Chiyoko smiled. “I’ve no idea how he got up there so high without a ladder!”

Eiji blanched. “A-ah! Well, Ankh used to be very good at climbing things when he was younger, right Ankh?”

“Un.” Ankh grunted, turning back to face them after composing himself.

Chiyoko’s posture darkened. “Of course, I’m sorry Ankh-chan if I brought up bad memories.” She pulled him into an unwilling hug. “But you’re safe now!”

Ankh let himself be man-handled before dropping himself off the stool with a huff, heading towards the stairs and into the attic.

He threw himself into his nest, pulling out his phone and scrolled through the internet. Things had been quiet lately, there had been no report of a Yummy and Kazari was strangely silent. He huffed, putting the phone away and rolling over.

He heard a thumping up the stairs, and from the sound of the footsteps, Ankh knew it was Eiji. The brunet entered the room and flopped onto his bed.

“Chiyoko told me to take 15 minutes as I’ve been working since this morning.” He let out a small contented sigh. “Hey, Ankh, have there been any Yummy sightings?”

Ankh rolled over to face him. “Not yet.” He confirmed.

“Strange, it’s been almost two weeks now and there’s been nothing, not even a whisper.”

Ankh watched as Eiji pondered, deep in thought. He took in Eiji’s lithe frame, stretched out before him on the bed and felt his mouth grow dry. He had asked Date about the symptom, only to have the doctor give him a knowing smile when he tried to explain it only happened around the Kamen Rider. Ankh concluded it must be the body’s fault.

He watched Eiji stretch, a slither of the skin on his abdomen showing. Ankh felt his face heat up as he unintentionally stared. Yep. Definitely the body’s fault. Whatever it was, it was incredibly annoying.

Maybe it was Eiji’s fault?

Stupid human.

Eiji got up from the bed, popping his shoulders as he did so. “Even though you’ve already raided Chiyoko’s freezer, I technically still haven’t given you today’s payment of ice lolly, have I? Do you want it now whilst I’m up?”

Ankh quickly directed his eyes away from Eiji and into his lap, not wanting to be caught staring. “Y-yeah. Okay.”

Eiji furrowed his brows. “Hey, are you okay? You look warm. You’re not getting a cold, are you?"

Ankh scowled and looked up from his lap. “The precious body is fine. Don’t pester me about it.” He snapped.

Eiji flinched. “I wasn’t asking about the body. Having a cold must be a hindrance to you too, right?”

Ankh swung his legs off the edge of his nest to fully face the human. “I guess so.” He responded with less heat. “Anything the body feels, I feel too. It’s annoying.” He grumbled. “But nothing is wrong, I’m just…”

“Just what?” Eiji asked when Ankh didn’t finish.

“I-I don’t know! But it’s fine! Really!” He could feel his face turn pink the more Eiji stared at him, his gaze locking with Ankh’s. “Get me my ice!”

Eiji gave a defeated look. “If you’re sure…” He trailed off, opening the door to leave the room. “I don’t just care about the detective, you know. I care about you too, Ankh, and I want to help both of you if I can.”

Ankh turned away from Eiji, pulling his phone back out from his pocket. Eiji sighed, leaving the room.

~*~

Eiji trudged back down the stairs, bumping into Hina in the kitchen.

“Oh, Eiji-kun!” Hina greeted.

Eiji smiled. “Hey Hina-chan, where’s Chiyoko-san?”

Hina lifted a large sack of potatoes from the cabinet. “She went out to get more butter for the pretzels. Do you mind carrying that tray through to table four?”

Eiji walked away from the freezer, grabbing the tray, and walking back through into the café before placing the tray on the table. A man sat there, a newspaper hiding his face.

“Hey, where did the two girls from table four go?” Hina asked, confusedly.

Eiji turned back to face the man, only for the newspaper to be thrown directly into his face, as the man jumped over the table, the contents of the tray exploding into the air. Eiji ducked to the side throwing the newspaper off of his face as Hina screamed in surprise. He caught a mop of white-blond hair before the man was lunging again.

“Kazari!” A voice shouted from the door.

~*~

Ankh heaved a frustrated sigh as he waited for Eiji to bring him his ice lolly.

_“What was taking that idiot so long?”_

Surely it didn’t take that long to get him his treat? He rolled his eyes at the thought of Eiji probably being roped into doing something in the café for Hina, forgetting about his ice _again-_

He was interrupted from his thoughts by a large crash downstairs, followed by a scream. Had Eiji dropped something again? When he heard another crash, his eyes widened, and he jumped from his nest, practically flying down the stairs.

What greeted him when he reached the bottom was not what he expected. Food was all over the floor, the table upturned. But what caught his immediate attention was a familiar Greeed, about to charge at Eiji who was on the ground.

“Kazari!” Ankh snarled.

The Greeed whipped his head around to face Ankh. Eiji took his chance and rolled out of the way, pushing Hina into the kitchen and locking the door. Hina banged on the door helplessly, calling his name.

“Hina-chan, please stay in there!” Eiji called desperately through the wood.

“Do as he says!” Ankh commanded when Hina retaliated once more against the door.

Kazari straightened his shirt, facing the two of them. “Long time, no see, ey Ankh?” He grinned.

“Eiji…” Ankh said, releasing three medals from his Greeed arm.

The brunet turned to look at him, looking at all the extra decorations Chiyoko had placed in the shop that day. “I can’t fight in here! The space is too small!”

Ankh tutted. “What do you want, Kazari?”

The Greeed smirked. “Not much. I just want him,” He pointed towards Eiji who widened his eyes at the attention, “out of the picture. For good this time.”

The Greeed pounced forward, jumping on one of the tables and leaping into the air. Eiji ducked and rolled out of the way in an attempt to escape him. Ankh raised his Greeed arm, running towards the blond from behind and Kazari whipped his body around and caught Ankh’s arm.

Ankh thought it was strange that the Greeed did not summon his true form whilst fighting.

Kazari threw Ankh to the ground and he landed on his rear with a thump, before turning back to Eiji.

“You know what?” Kazari grinned. “Humans can be very interesting. I’ve surprisingly learnt a lot from them. Their desires, their hatred, their _greed_ to get anything they want, no matter the method or consequence.”

Eiji shuffled away from him, back hitting the wall.

“I think that in order to defeat a human, you must also think like a human, right?” Kazari pulled out a blade from his pocket, pointing it in Eiji’s direction, the metal glinting in the light.

Ankh’s eyes widened as Eiji desperately tried to look around for anything to defend himself with. Kazari charged forward, raising his arm into the air.

Eiji recoiled into himself, bracing for impact. He could hear Kazari’s footsteps surging forward, and he braced for the sudden impact of the knife entering his flesh.

It never came.

Eiji heard a spluttered gasp from above him, followed by a shriek from the kitchen. The Kamen Rider looked up, seeing a familiar back shielding him.

“Ankh…” Eiji whispered.

The Greeed was knelt in front of him, looking towards Kazari. Ankh whimpered softly; the blade having penetrated his stomach. Kazari cocked his head to the side in a confused manner.

“Didn’t figure you were the type to do this for a human.” Kazari shrugged, raising his leg and kicking Ankh onto the floor to get closer to the human behind him. Ankh yelped breathlessly, curling in onto himself as he placed a hand onto his stomach, trying not to touch the knife embedded into his body.

“Ankh!” Eiji cried, wanting desperately to run over to protect him.

A sudden boom from the kitchen, and Hina ran through the busted door, armed with a barrel. “Get away from my friends!” She screamed.

Eiji rolled away from the wall as Hina threw the container. Kazari quickly transformed into his true form, bracing his arms as the barrel shattered against him upon impact. Kazari blanched, confused as to why this tiny human had so much power before using his chance to run towards the door, ducking down and removing the knife from Ankh’s stomach as he left.

Ankh screeched in agony as the blade was forcefully removed from his skin, and blood was pooling on his shirt.

“Ankh!” Eiji and Hina yelled at once, running towards him.

Eiji grabbed Ankh’s head, carefully laying it into his lap. Ankh whimpered again and writhed in agony. “Hina!” He gasped, breaths frantic in his panic, “Get some towels! We have to slow down the bleeding! Call an ambulance!”

Hina nodded, wide-eyed, running into the next room.

“N-no…” Ankh wheezed. “I’m… I’m taking the impact… the body will be fine…” His eyes rolled back and he began to sweat. “G-give me time.”

Eiji gently grabbed hold of his face. “What do you mean?! Ankh, what’s happening?!”

Hina reappeared with the towels, placing them onto Ankh’s stomach.

“I’m… I’m healing the body up- _gah_!” He cried, as Hina put pressure on the wound. “I-it hurts.” He sobbed.

“I know, I know, I’m sorry.” Hina comforted him as Ankh made another guttural noise from his throat.

“Ankh, what are you doing?!” Eiji wiped the sweat from the blond’s face softly.

Ankh let out harsh breaths, his breathing becoming more laboured. “I can heal him… it will cost me cell medals, lots, but I can do it. I can save him.” His eyes rolled back again as he convulsed against Eiji’s leg. “If I leave the body,” he gasped, “he’ll die. I c-can f-feel it.”

“Shh, shh.” Hina hushed him gently. “It’s okay, save your breath.”

Eiji sniffled, running a hand through Ankh’s curls in an attempt to calm him. “Keep pressure on the wound.” He requested.

Hina placed more force onto the site, causing Ankh to cry out.

“I’m sorry, bear with it okay?” Eiji encouraged, “I’ll get you an ice after this, no, you can have three, okay?” Eiji’s voice broke slightly.

Ankh nodded jerkily; his lips pursed together. His eyes began to flutter again.

“No, no Ankh!” Eiji panicked. “Don’t fall asleep, okay?” He tapped his cheek lightly. “Stay awake, okay?”

Ankh whimpered, a tear escaping his eye as he forced it back open. He looked deep into Eiji’s brown orbs in desperation, their faces close together. Eiji stroked Ankh’s forehead soothingly.

“That’s it. You’re doing so well!” Eiji smiled tightly. “How’s the wound looking, Hina?”

Ankh felt the pressure release from his stomach as Hina lifted up his shirt. He hissed and closed his eyes again as the fabric tugged on his skin.

“The bleeding seems to be slowing down.” She noted.

Eiji sighed slightly in relief. “Okay, that’s good. Now we just need to- Ankh? Ankh!”


	2. Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ankh suffers with the consequences of his action.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, I really got carried away on this chapter.
> 
> Enjoy!

The blond’s eyes rolled back into his head and the body went limp.

“Ankh!” Hina cried as she reapplied pressure to the wound.

“Hey!” Eiji said desperately, “Hey! Ankh!” He shook him gently. Ankh’s breath stuttered slightly. “Y-you can have more than three ices! Open your eyes for me, please! You can have as many as you want!” A fat tear escaped Eiji’s eye and he quickly wiped it away as he shook the blond again.

“I… heard that…” Ankh whispered breathlessly.

“Ankh!” Hina exclaimed in relief.

Ankh’s eyes slowly peeled open and he winced, gulping heavily. His line of vision trailed over to Eiji and Eiji smiled, gently continuing to stroke Ankh’s hair.

“You said you can save him, Ankh… what did you mean?” Hina asked seriously.

Ankh’s eyes looked towards her. “I… I can use my energy to keep him alive… the body will heal.” Ankh made another guttural sound as Hina readjusted the towel on his midsection.

“But what about you?” Eiji asked, fear in his eyes.

“I’ll be weakened for a while,” Ankh’s voice got more faint, “My weakness will reflect on the body, but the body itself is actually fine…” Ankh’s voice trailed off and his eyes rolled back once more.

Eiji made a panicked noise as Ankh passed out again.

“We should move him,” Hina said. “Chiyoko will be back soon and there’s no way we can explain all this.” She gestured towards the room which was in complete disarray, food all over the floor and walls.

“Oh no, how much time do we have?” His eyes widened.

“Maybe fifteen minutes?”

Eiji looked back to Ankh, his eyes were tightly closed, eyebrows knitted together in pain. “Let’s lift him and take him to the attic.” Eiji suggested. 

Hina nodded and grabbed Ankh’s legs, Eiji grabbing his upper body. “One, two, three!” Eiji counted as they lifted the blond into the air. Ankh made a small pained noise in his unconscious state, causing Eiji and Hina to exchange concerned glances. 

They carefully carried their precious cargo up the stairs, trying not to move him more than necessary. 

When they reached the door, Hina used her back to push it open. 

“Place him on my bed.” Eiji instructed, manoeuvring himself so Ankh’s shoulders wouldn’t crash into the frame. Hina nodded, carefully turning around so Ankh’s head would align up to the pillows. They gently placed him onto the mattress, Ankh automatically going into a semi-fetal position as he let out a small gasp of pain.

“I’m going to get started on cleaning downstairs,” Hina said. “Look out for him whilst I’m gone.”

Eiji looked up from where he’d been staring at Ankh’s face in worry. “But what if Chiyoko comes back?”

“Don’t worry about me,” She reassured. “I should be able to clean most of it before she comes back. I’ll tell her I dropped something.”

Eiji nodded his thanks, watching as Hina exited the room and gently shut the door. He redirected his attention to Ankh who was breathing in soft erratic breaths, his hand holding his midsection. Eiji gently removed the hand, to see that the wound was certainly shallower than before, but still slowly oozing blood. He cursed to himself, quickly rummaging under his bed for the first aid box.

When he felt the tell-tale cold metal handle of the box, he grabbed hold, sliding it out and opening it up in search for bandages. He snatched a roll along with some gauze and looked back towards Ankh.

“Come on, Ankh,” he said gently. “Let’s get you patched up.” He put a hand on the Greeed’s shoulder, carefully putting him onto his back. The Greeed moaned once more. Eiji continued talking to the unconscious man. “Usually it’s you watching me getting patched up.” He sighed, staunching the remains of the blood flow. Ankh made a small choked noise in his throat at the pressure. Eiji winced subconsciously. “Sorry Ankh, please bear with it okay?” 

He kept the pressure on the wound until he was confident enough that he wouldn’t bleed out for the time being. He would call Date soon for the doctor to have a better look at him. He haphazardly wrapped the bandages around Ankh’s midsection, apologising softly every time Ankh moaned in pain. 

As soon as he was done, he quickly put all of the medical supplies away, walking over to the small bathroom to wet a cloth and returned to place it across Ankh’s forehead. The Greeed had slowly began to sweat and Eiji grew more and more concerned at the amount of times he had to wipe the droplets from his skin. After a few minutes, Ankh was practically drenched in sweat, his chest shining from it and his breathing was still uneven and erratic.

Ankh tossed and turned slightly in his sleep, whimpering and subconsciously holding onto his stomach whilst Eiji shushed him gently, rearranging the cloth and bringing a bowl of water so he could re-wet it. 

The human heard the door open, expecting Hina or worse Chiyoko to come bursting into the room. 

“Oh, he really outdid himself this time.” A low voice rumbled.

Eiji blanched, “Date-san!” He exclaimed in surprise. “I hadn’t called you yet.”

“That would be my doing.” Hina’s voice called from the doorway as she entered the room. She refocused her attention to the Greeed. “Ankh! Is he okay?” She took in his pale form, concerned at the amount of sweat he was producing.

Ankh’s cheeks were flushed, the rest of his face and body ashen, his eyes tightly shut, and brows knitted together in discomfort. He jostled slightly in his sleep, causing him to make a small noise of pain as his wound protested. Eiji stroked the Greeed’s hair lightly, causing the blond to settle back into the pillows. His breathing was still uneven, and the bandages clung to his damp skin, his shirt being long since discarded onto the floor in Eiji’s rush to help him.

Eiji stared at the blond, guilt ebbing into his conscience as he processed that Ankh would not be in this situation if it wasn’t for him. He thought back to the civil war, cursing himself for always being the one to cause people harm. What if Ankh died too? Eiji felt sick.

The Kamen Rider quickly stood up from his seat at the head of the bed, looking towards Date and Hina. “I’ll leave Ankh to you.” He addressed Date before quickly exiting the room.

“Eiji-kun!” Hina shouted after him, but he quickly moved past her and down the stairs.

Hina stared after him, considering following.

“Leave him be, Hina-chan.” Date said, his mouth a grim line. 

Hina continued staring at the door a second longer, before redirecting her attention to the injured Greeed on the bed. Ankh had begun to cling onto the covers tightly, his mouth set to a grimace.

“Let’s see what we can do to help our Bird, then.” Date said, walking over to the bed to inspect the wound. He carefully peeled back the bandage, Ankh’s face contorting in agony as he did so, and the doctor hushed him. “Easy, Anko,” He comforted, before reaching into his bag for some balm. He turned back to face Hina. “You said Ankh told you that Shingo is fine, and this is just Ankh, right? The wound seems to be shallower than what I would’ve expected from a stab wound.”

Hina nodded. “He said the body is reflecting what he’s feeling.” She watched the Greeed with worried eyes. “Is he going to be okay?”

Date’s face took a slightly grim quality. “There’s no telling. I don’t know that much about Greeed biology to be perfectly honest.” He admitted. “I don’t even think the Prez would have any idea either.” A sigh escaped his lips as he scratched his head. “I don’t want to risk stitching him due to his rapid healing, so I’m going to disinfect the wound and apply some balm to help with the healing process. I’ll have to stick around for the night so I can change his bandages regularly.”

Hina walked towards Eiji’s previous seat, sitting herself down and studying Ankh’s face, following the frown lines up his nose to his eyes, noticing that even though Ankh had her brothers’ face, the way he used it was completely different to Shingo. “Thank you, Date.” She whispered, her eyes growing teary.

Date chuckled slightly. “Not a problem.” He gently unwrapped the bandages, noting that Eiji had done a good job in stopping Ankh’s bleeding. The doctor reached back into his bag, pulling out some disinfectant along with a sterile pad, saturating the pad in the liquid before rubbing it along Ankh’s wound.

Ankh’s clouded eyes shot open, a pained scream escaping his lips as he began to thrash in an attempt to escape the burning sensation. Hina flinched back in surprise before holding Ankh’s arms back against the bed, pinning his shoulders to the pillows with her strength, careful to not injure him further as she did so.

“Easy, bud, it’s okay.” Date reassured, continuing to disinfect the wound whilst simultaneously trying to avoid Ankh’s flailing legs. “On second thoughts, maybe it would’ve been a good idea to have Eiji here.” He mumbled. 

Ankh continued to writhe and yell, his voice becoming more hoarse. His eyes were completely unfocused, but it was clear that he was in some sort of semi-conscious state. His kicking became weaker as Date moved on to applying the balm.

The Doctor scooped some into his fingers before pressing it against the injury.

“A-ah-! Ughn!” Little noises escaped Ankh’s throat as he panted.

“It’s okay, Ankh.” Hina stroked Ankh’s shoulder and drew circles with her finger on his upper arm, something she did to Shingo to calm him down when they were younger.  
Ankh’s body relaxed slightly; the tension slowly being released from his muscles as the balm numbed his pain somewhat. His eyes roamed around the room, not focusing on anything in particular and he drowsily blinked. Hina grabbed the washcloth that was sliding off of his forehead, dunking it in the bowl of water Eiji had left behind before placing it back on the injured Greeed.

Ankh’s arm shakily attempted to touch the washcloth. “…E-Eiji…” The blond slurred incoherently. 

Hina moved his arm away and hushed him soothingly. “Eiji’s not here right now,” She continued making circles on his arm to calm him. “He’ll be back soon, okay?”

Ankh made a low noise of complaint. “…Eiji…!” He cried more insistently, still delirious to his surroundings.

Date and Hina exchanged a glance.

“Actually,” Date said lowly. “I think it may be best to follow after Eiji now.”

Hina got up from the chair, Ankh’s arms following her movement as he called out for Eiji once more. “I think I have an idea where he might be,” She said. She turned back towards Ankh. “I’ll be back soon, okay?” 

She didn’t wait for a reply before leaving the attic, leaving Ankh’s moans of pain behind her. 

~*~

Eiji had been sat on the bench at the park for the past half hour, playing the days’ events over and over again in his head, thinking of what he could have done differently. If Ankh died because of him…

He didn’t think he could live with himself.

Ankh was brash, bratty, stubborn, and sometimes downright sadistic, but in the past few months Eiji had seen him grow. Dare he say, Ankh had become more human. The Greeed would vehemently deny it but it couldn’t be concealed, the blond had definitely become more empathetic and loving, even if he tried not to show it. He proved that much tonight.  
Eiji sighed.

Why was it always the people he loved that got hurt? 

Eiji startled at that thought. 

Did Eiji love Ankh? Could it be as simple as that? Could it be as _complicated_ as that? Did Ankh even have the capability of love? 

The human shook his head.

In the back of his mind, however much he tried to deny it, he wished for that to be true. Eiji had long since come to terms with the fact that he did not care for gender in terms of dating. He had made peace with the knowledge that love came in many forms and was not as strict as some people made it out to be. Travelling the world had really opened his eyes to that fact at an early age, and he’d had several encounters to validate his feelings for himself.

Eiji shook himself again, not wanting to accept that he had feelings for the Greeed that weren’t strictly platonic. 

He’d known Ankh for several months now and Ankh’s less than pleasant attitude frustrated him in the beginning. But gradually, he’d noticed the blond’s icy demeanour begin to evolve into something more empathetic. As they began to fight as a team, a duo, they became an almost unstoppable force, Ankh always being by his side whether it be at night in the quiet of their room, or during a fight, or during getting patched up for an injury, Ankh was always there, biting a sarcastic remark whilst his eyes showed genuine concern and attentiveness for the human. 

More than once Eiji had caught Ankh watching over him in his sleep, knowing that the Greeed did not have to sleep as much as a human. Eiji pretended not to notice the way Ankh’s eyes looked at him with a certain _something_ , an emotion he could not quite put into words and he didn’t think Ankh knew how to either.

“Eiji!”

The human jumped in surprise.

Hina came jogging over to where he was sat on the bench and took a seat beside him, taking in his solemn expression. 

“I thought I’d find you here.” She said, Eiji hummed, slouching on the bench, body expression deflated. She continued to study Eiji’s face before redirecting her attention to the immediate surroundings. “You’d sit here with Ankh for hours whilst he sat in that tree right there.” She looked at the familiar branches where the Greeed used to perch himself with his iPhone. “Just waiting for news on any Yummy updates. You’d buy his ice from over there-"

“How is he?” Eiji asked, his voice quiet as he finally turned to face her.

Hina smiled tightly. “Date is with him. His bleeding stopped.” Her voice trailed off slightly, unsure how to phrase the next part. “He’s… been asking for you.”

Eiji immediately straightened, turning to properly face her. “Why? Is he okay?”

She raised her arms up to calm him. “I think so, but he’s been calling your name in his sleep.”

Eiji stood up from the bench, instantly walking back towards the restaurant. “I should go to him-" He faltered, standing in place.

Hina stood up from the bench to join him. “What is it, Eiji-kun?”

Eiji ran his hands through his unruly hair. “He… he’s already been hurt because of me. I don’t want to cause him any more pain.”

Hina’s expression hardened as she grabbed firm hold of both of his shoulders. “Eiji,” She started. “Listen to me and listen carefully. This was _not_ your fault. Ankh made the decision to protect you. If you want to blame anybody, blame the person that stabbed him. Now, _he needs you_. You have nothing to feel guilty for. Ankh did this for you because he cares for you, can you honestly say if the roles were reversed you wouldn’t do the same thing for him?”

Eiji’s cheeks dusted pink.

“I know, darling.” She said in a softer tone. “I have done for a while. I just can’t believe it took you this long to realise it.” She smiled lightly. “And you wouldn’t blame Ankh either if the roles were reversed and you were the one hurt instead?”

The man shook his head, sniffing slightly.

“Then Ankh will feel the same.” She concluded. “For all your differences, you’re also both awfully similar.”

Eiji looked down, his lips upturned slightly in embarrassment. “How did you know?” He mumbled. “Is it that obvious?”

Hina’s smile turned into a full grin. “I’ve seen the way you look at each other when you think the other isn’t looking. Chiyoko-san has noticed it too. We’re not blind, you know.” She punched his shoulder lightly.

The man’s face fully flushed as he chuckled lightly. “Oh…” 

Hina grabbed Eiji’s arm, pulling him in the direction of the restaurant. “Come on,” She encouraged, “It’s time to go back to your bird.”

Eiji spluttered. “H-he’s not _my_ bird!”

Hina rolled her eyes. “Yeah, okay, whatever you say!” She teased.

They made their way back to Cous Coussier, bickering as they went. As soon as the tell-tale sign came into sight, the atmosphere changed, becoming more tense as Eiji gulped in his throat. When they reached the entrance, he faltered slightly.

“I’m gonna head up, okay?” Hina said, releasing Eiji’s arm. “Come when you’re ready.”

Eiji hummed and nodded, taking a breath. “I’ll be there in a minute.”

Hina nodded, opening the wooden door, and entering the shop. 

“Hina-chan!” Chiyoko exclaimed. “Where’s Eiji-kun? I thought you were getting him. Ankh’s cold must be awfully bad, Date was insistent on not letting me in! Mind you, Ankh’s temper can be intense at the best of times, bless him, it’s probably better to stay away.”

Hina flashed the woman a tight-lipped smile. “Eiji will join us soon. He’s… just getting some air. I’m going to see if Date needs anything.”

Chiyoko nodded enthusiastically. “Let me know if he does! I’ll be more than happy to whip something up for him!” She called after Hina who had made her way up the stairs.  
Hina gave her a thumbs up as she ran up the staircase two at a time, reaching the landing and opening the door into Ankh and Eiji’s shared room.

Date was sat in the chair at the head of the bed with his hand on Ankh’s forehead, checking his temperature.

“How is he?” Hina asked, moving closer.

“He’s still feverish.” The doctor said grimly whilst readjusting the cloth on Ankh’s head. “Where’s Eiji?”

“He’s com-"

“I’m here!” Eiji said, emerging from behind Hina. He looked at the Greeed, eyes widening. “Ankh!”

The bird twitched, rolling over to face the sound, eyes open but completely unfocused. “E-Eiji…” He slurred. “Eiji…!” He said more incessantly.

Eiji ran towards the head of the bed, Date taking his cue to leave the seat and Eiji quickly sat down, grabbing a hold of Ankh’s hand. Date’s eyebrow raised and Hina made a motion to be quiet and follow her.

“Uh, I’ll leave you to monitor him for a bit.” Date said awkwardly. “I’ll be downstairs. I’ll come back to check on him and change his bandages but call me if anything happens.” Date and Hina left the room, leaving Eiji to watch the blond who was still sweating and moving restlessly on the bed. 

Ankh’s hand was weak and clammy in his hold as he murmured unintelligibly.

“Ankh…” Eiji whispered.

The blond whined in reply, his grip becoming slightly stronger. “I-It hurts…”

Eiji’s eyes widened. “Ankh! Can you hear me?”

Ankh whimpered again. “…It hurts!”

Eiji gulped in his throat and moved Ankh’s bangs away from his sticky forehead before beginning to run his fingers through his locks. Ankh calmed, the crease in his eyebrows becoming less noticeable.

“It’s okay, I’m here now.” Eiji reassured, continuing the ministrations. Ankh hummed, settling on the bed. 

The brunet sighed, rhythmically stroking the blond’s hair, studying his face. The Greeed’s features had begun to soften as he relaxed, an occasional unintelligible mumble escaping his lips.

“Eiji…” Ankh breathed.

“I’m here.” Eiji confirmed again.

Ankh let out a sigh. “S’cold…” He began to wriggle in his sleep, attempting to take his bandages off like a shirt and whimpering when his wound protested. He began to shiver slightly, teeth chattering in his mouth.

“Ankh?” Eiji questioned.

“S’cold!” Ankh moaned again, teeth still chattering, his body beginning to shudder more violently on the bed.

Eiji’s eyes widened as he tried not to panic. He felt the blond’s skin, hot to the touch. “You’re burning up!” He re-wet the cloth, rubbing it along Ankh’s face and chest.

“N-no,” Ankh protested. “No, it’s cold…” He slurred and smacked Eiji’s hand away weakly.

“Date-san!” Eiji called, unsure what was happening. He heard the tell-tale sign of Date’s footsteps as he thundered up the stairs, entering the room.

“What is it?” He asked.

Eiji gestured towards Ankh’s quaking form. “He’s shivering really bad, complaining he’s cold, but he’s incredibly warm.”

Date ran a hand along his beard. “At least he’s communicating. He’s at the peak of his fever. He needs water and preferably a blanket, he’s gonna have to sweat this out of his system.”

Eiji grabbed a blanket from the bottom of the bed, placing it over the blond before grabbing a glass of water from the nightstand.

“Ankh,” He called, bringing the cup to his face. “Drink up.”

Ankh’s mouth opened slightly, whether it was in response to the request or pure coincidence Eiji wasn’t sure, but he took the chance to pour a small amount of water into his mouth. The Greeed coughed but managed to swallow a little bit of the water.

“That’s it,” Eiji encouraged. “You’re doing great! A bit more.” He poured more of the liquid past the Greeed’s lips, Ankh swallowing more and more with each sip.

Eiji continued this for the next couple of hours before Date came back to change the bandages.

“The wound is almost healed.” Date noted with a hint of surprise in his tone. “Hopefully Anko will be back to normal soon.”

Eiji sighed in relief in his sleepy state. He’d spent the last half an hour trying to keep his eyes forced open, intent on watching over the blond until he awoke fully.

“You should sleep, bud.” Date suggested.

Eiji shook his head. “I just wanna make sure he’s okay.”

Date huffed, shaking his head. “I’d put him in the clear. I think it’s safe for you to rest, Eiji.”

Eiji shook his head again, determined to stay awake.

“Okay.” The doctor conceded. “But you’ll take a nap later regardless, doctor’s orders.” He made his way out of the room and back downstairs before Eiji could refuse.

Eiji looked back towards Ankh. The Greeed was lay on his back, head turned to the side. He was no longer shivering and small gentle puffs of breath left his mouth, his face mostly relaxed. Eiji felt his eyes droop again and he slapped his cheek lightly, only for them to close once more, his head dropping onto the bed as his body remained in the chair as he fell asleep.

~*~

Ankh tossed lightly in his slumber, his eyes scrunching before he finally peeled them open. He blearily looked around his immediate surroundings, feeling a small ache in his abdomen. Looking down, he saw familiar but also unfamiliar sheets and he startled slightly. Peeling back the covers, he noted the bandages wrapped along his midsection that spiralled up and around his right shoulder to keep them in place.

He groaned as he tried to sit up, his stomach feeling sensitive. He placed his hands on the mattress to pull himself up, not before hitting something hard.

“Umph!” A voice was heard to the left of him and Ankh realised he’d grabbed Eiji’s hair in an attempt to move himself.

Ankh startled again as Eiji’s head slowly crept up from beside him. The human rubbed at his eyes before cracking his back and rolling his neck and shoulders, finally opening his eyes.

“Ankh!” He exclaimed in surprise, elated that the Greeed was finally conscious. “How do you feel?”

Recovering from his shock, Ankh tutted. “Like I’ve been hit by a train.”

Eiji’s face dulled. “It’s my fault, I’m sorry.” He turned his head away.

Ankh’s eyes widened, a hand going to reach for the human before he stopped himself, retracting it back under the sheets before Eiji could see. “D-don’t be stupid! Kazari, the bastard, did this, not you.”

Eiji turned back to face him. “But he was aiming for me! Why would you get in the way?! I don’t understand!”

Ankh bit his lip, his eyes firey as he tried to come up with a reason for his action. “I don’t know!” He shot back. “Why would I put my life on the line for a stupid human, you mean? I don’t know, Eiji! I just did!”

“You should have just let Kazari kill me!” Eiji shouted back irately, his tired eyes training in on the Greeed and his voice scratchy from lack of sleep.

“Don’t be an idiot, Eiji!” Ankh snapped. “Do you seriously think I’d put my life on the line for just anyone? You really are stupid.”

Eiji ran his hands irritably through his hair. “That’s rich, coming from you! You almost got yourself kille-"

“Well it was worth it, okay?!” Ankh yelled, wincing and holding his stomach as it protested.

Eiji’s eyes widened and his mouth opened and closed in shock. Ankh turned away from him, embarrassed.

“I’m sorry.” Eiji said quietly. “We shouldn’t fight. I was just worried.”

Ankh sighed. “Well don’t be, I’m perfectly fine.”

“B-but, but your stomach?” Eiji questioned.

“It’s just a stomach-ache. It’s fine.” He slowly sat up straighter on the bed, trying his best to hold in another grimace.

Eiji’s hand hovered around the Greeed’s back, ready to assist if needed.

“I’m going to get Date-san to check you over.” He said in a gentler tone. His hand lightly touched Ankh’s shoulder, staying there for a moment longer before he withdrew it. Ankh followed his arm, half tempted to force the human to put it back before stopping himself. “Is something wrong?” The human asked again.

Ankh’s eyes shot up. “N-no!”

Eiji eyed him for a second longer before leaving the room.

Ankh let out a breath that he didn’t realise he’d been holding. Curse that human for being so captivating! He scowled to himself, hearing Date’s lumbering footsteps, followed by Eiji’s lighter ones, coming up the stairs. 

“Anko!” Date said with a smile. “How are you feeling?”

The Greeed frowned. “It’s Ankh.” He snarled.

Date raised an eyebrow. “I see you’re as lovely as ever.” He turned to Eiji. “I think he’s fine.”

“I’m right here!” The blond shouted, indignant. 

“Ankh,” Eiji said exasperatedly. “Date-san has been tending to you all night! What do you have to say for yourself?”

The Greeed glowered again. “Thnkyu.” He mumbled.

“What was that?” Eiji asked. “I don’t think he heard you.”

“Thank you!” Ankh yelled, folding his arms across his chest.

Date let out a hearty laugh. “You’re welcome, bud.” The man crossed the room and pulled the covers off of the bird. “I’m just gonna check your bandages, alright?”

The Greeed nodded.

Date slowly peeled back the bandage as Ankh looked away, biting his lip. There was a small pink mark where the wound had been, and Date whistled.

“That’s some super healing that you got there, bud. You feeling any pain?”

The Greeed shook his head.

“Ankh.” Eiji said firmly.

He huffed. “It hurts a little on the inside. It’s a bit stiff, is all.”

The doctor nodded. “Not that I’m an expert in your kind’s biology, but I’d say that was pretty normal. As long as you don’t start coughing up feathers or anything, I’m sure you’ll be fine.” He half joked. “Can you stand?”

Ankh shrugged his shoulders. “I’m not sure.” 

He swung his legs around the bed and Eiji immediately went over to his side, ready to grab his arms if the Greeed asked. 

The blond slowly placed his feet on the floor and carefully stood up, Eiji’s hands instantly hovering around his waist. Ankh’s eyes immediately lost focus, his legs collapsing from under him. Eiji cried out in surprise, quickly catching him and slowly bringing him to the floor as he breathed heavily from the exertion. 

“Ankh! What’s wrong?” He exclaimed.

Ankh’s body went completely limp in Eiji’s hold and he rested his head on the human’s shoulder, the brown hair at his nape tickling his nose slightly.

“Need… cell medals…” He cursed to himself quietly, his eyes going half-lidded. 

Eiji shifted him in his arms so his upper half was against Eiji’s chest, the blond’s legs sprawled in front of him. Ankh blushed slightly at the intimate positioning but said nothing in refute.

“Date-san,” Eiji said, putting on his best smile. “Any chance of another loan of cell medals?”

Date hummed, stroking his chin.

“Don’t!” Ankh bit. “I’ll be fine.” He put weight on his arms in an attempt to lift himself, only to fall back onto Eiji's chest, the human getting a full mouthful of the Greeed’s blond curls.

Eiji spat it out of his mouth in semi-disgust.

“I’ll go get some medals then.” Date chuckled. “You owe me.”

“Thank you, Date-san.” Eiji said gratefully. 

Date went downstairs to go get his container, which left Ankh and Eiji still huddled together on the floor. Ankh blushed again, refusing to look in Eiji’s direction and took great interest in the wood floor beneath them.

“Ankh,” Eiji whispered, not wanting to break the careful silence that enveloped the room. “Thank you.”

The Greeed took a hesitant look in his direction. Eiji had tears in his eyes, threatening to fall, and if he wasn’t so weak, he would’ve wiped them away.

“Remember when you told me it wasn’t just Shingo’s body you cared about?” Ankh asked. Eiji hummed in confirmation. “Well someone has to look out for yours, too.”

Eiji grabbed hold of the blond’s shoulder. “But not in expense of your life, Ankh! If you would have died because of me…” He trailed off. “No matter what I do, people always get hurt when I’m around.” His grip on Ankh’s shoulders increased. “If I would have lost you-"

“But you didn’t.” Ankh interrupted, then sighed. “Look, I don’t know why I took that knife for you, but I’m glad that I did.” He looked away from the human, embarrassed. 

“Ankh…” Eiji loosened his grip on Ankh’s shoulder.

“I just… didn’t want to lose you either.” He muttered.

A tear escaped Eiji’s eye and he hastily wiped it away. He turned Ankh’s chin gently with his thumb, forcing him to make eye contact. The Greeed gulped, seeing the world in Eiji’s brown eyes and he felt his breath melt away and that pesky tight feeling in his chest return.

“Ankh… I think I-"

The Greeed turned his head to meet Eiji’s, their lips crashing together and Eiji squeaked before quickly returning the kiss, arms manoeuvring Ankh to gain better access to his mouth as he ran his fingers through his hair, Ankh grabbing at the hair at Eiji’s nape. 

“Enough of the… cheesiness…” Ankh muttered between kisses. Eiji laughed and pulled away.

“Yeah, it doesn’t suit either of us.”

Ankh grinned and dropped his head on Eiji’s shoulder, now thoroughly worn out.

“Where’s Date with those damn medals?” He huffed, a small smile still etched on his face. 

As if on cue, Date’s footsteps stomped back up the stairs, another pair quickly following. The two startled, separating slightly, just enough so Ankh wouldn’t flop back onto the floor like a dead fish. 

“Fresh pile of medals at your servi- oh.” Date said awkwardly, taking in their swollen lips and muffled up hair. “I hope I wasn’t interrupting something.”

The pair’s cheeks burned as Hina entered in tow, taking one look at them before looking way with a yelp.

“Shut up, idiot!” Ankh snarled, but there was hardly any bite to his words. “Gimme the medals.”

The doctor let out a low whistle, handing over a small stack to the bird. Ankh summoned his Greeed arm and inhaled the medals at a rapid pace, feeling his energy slowly coming back to him. After consuming the medals, he let out a content sigh.

“Uhm, Ankh….” Eiji said embarrassedly. 

Ankh looked around to see everyone staring at him, before realising he was still practically sat in Eiji’s lap. He jumped up, feeling dizzy for a moment before it settled and Eiji kept a strong arm wrapped around his waist as he stood up to join him.

Hina giggled, breaking the silence. “I’m glad you’re feeling better, Ankh.”

The Greeed nodded and hummed. 

“Thank you for the medals, Date-san,” Eiji said. “We’ll be sure to compensate you soon.”

“Right you will.” Date said with a wink. “Anyways, I gotta head back up to the office. The Prez will have my head if I stay idle for too long. See ya!” The doctor saluted, heading back down the stairs as Hina and Eiji waved, Ankh tutting as Date directed a wink his way. 

Hina turned back to face the pair. “Really,” Hina said again. “I’m glad you’re okay, _both_ of you.”

Thank you, Hina-chan.” Eiji said with a grateful smile.

“I’m going to let Chiyoko-san know that you’re okay. Come down when you’re ready and I’ll make you both something to eat.”

The pair nodded, watching as the girl also went downstairs. 

Eiji looked back towards Ankh, smiling softly. “Are you sure you’re okay now?”

“I’m fine.” There was no usual bite in his tone, but rather a sort of shyness.

The human let a breath out of his nose, turning around to fix the sheets on his bed.

“E-Eiji…”

“Hm?”

“I love you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wowza, I am not used to writing this much!
> 
> I want to do a series of Ankh whump/hurt comfort/ sick fics but I've not got many ideas right now, so if anyone wants to make a request, please do so! The whumpier the better, whatever you like, let me know ;)

**Author's Note:**

> DUN DUN DUUUN!  
> So this is the end of the first chapter! Please let me know what you think! I don't know much about Greeed biology, so I'm making most of it up as I go. You'll find out more next time!
> 
> Until then!


End file.
